Reading body language of women and men, Body language expert Scott Sylvan Bell shows you how to get the edge

Reading body language of crossed arms

Reading body language: One of the most common asked questions or comments made about reading body language besides how to tell if a man or woman is cheating is what does crossed arms mean when looking at nonverbal communication.

How often have you thought that crossed arms mean that a person was not open to you or what you were saying?

How many times have you been upset when reading into this body language?

Reading body language expert reveals crossed arms

Now what happens if what you thought meant something that it really didn’t.

Being a body language expert that can read situations would require you to understand what is comfortable for people.

The part of your brain that says crossed arms means a person is turned off or not talking to you is partially correct. There are times where men and women cross their arms as a way to say with their body that a message needs to be defended against or that something was said that wasn’t good to hear needs to be blocked out.

Crossing the arms in an instance of protection or indifference does mean that the message is not wanted or listened to.

For just a second cross your arms as if you don’t want to listen to what someone has to say maybe a friend or partner has said something to you recently you could think of that.

What does your body language feel like to you?

Did you start to get frustrated or angry?

Where you turned off to what was going on around you.

In this instance your body language would have red like people would think when they see someone who crosses their arms and decides to not listen.

If you were to go way back into time and see where the human mind became programed from because of danger you would be able to see somewhere in there that covering up the core of the body is a good thing that protects you.

In some instances crossed arms are a defensive mechanism and it does mean that the person is not listening and their body language proves it.

Reading crossed arms as a good thing when body language is being used

Men can say one thing and women can say another, interpreting and understanding crossed arms may be the complete opposite of not listening or being turned off.

In some instances people will cross their arms when they are comfortable.

Reading body language of crossed arms expert examination

Oh and you thought that he or she wasn’t listening all those times….

Want to learn an expert body language exercise? Sit in your chair and fold your arms so that you get comfortable. Now note to yourself how easy or how hard it may be to listen to people as they talk to you.

Would you be able to process what they say or would you be in a state where you couldn’t listen?

If you become comfortable it may be easier for you to listen to a message.

What has changed for you and your beliefs of crossing your arms and if people are listening to you?

So when you read the body language of others your interpretation and understanding can be completely correct or way off. Determining what is going on will depend on the context and the proximity that people hold with each other.

If there is tension going on someone with crossed arms could be impatient, tired, upset, turned off or just about any other negative emotion out there.

In a situation that isn’t tense it could be that the person you are reading is comfortable and relaxed and open to everything that you are saying.

Your beliefs about body language and nonverbal communication will cause you to react either positive or negatively to the people around you. Take your time to examine the normal actions of the person that you want to read the signs and signals of when it comes to body language.

There is one last thing to think about when it comes to reading into what crossed arms mean and that is what is typical for people from a region or even a different part of the world? Is this action normal for the man or woman or are you just trying to read into the situation so that it fits your beliefs?

9 thoughts on “Reading body language of crossed arms”

This is a very good point , Scott. I have a friend who crosses his arms when he is sitting because it it comfortable for him and I have WATCHED other people react very negatively to this.
Sonya Lenzohttp://www.sunnyincostarica.com/stuff/